Welcome

Thank you for visiting my legislative website. It is always an honor to serve the people of the 16th Senate District in the Illinois General Assembly. On my website, you can learn more about me and the issues I work hard to address for our community and our state. Your opinions are important to me, and I urge you to contact my Springfield or Chicago office if you have any questions or concerns.

The right to vote for one’s representatives has been America’s fundamental freedom since this nation was founded. Its expression in our Constitution and throughout much of our history was imperfect – and perfected only by the willingness of ordinary people to make extraordinary sacrifices. Some bled, some were jailed and many died. And through this sacred struggle to perfect self-government, the franchise was expanded so no one would be turned away from the polls based on income, race or gender.

As a woman of color, I find unconscionable the recent campaigns in many states to reverse our progress, limiting access to the polls under the guise of fraud prevention. And this summer we have seen federal courts uphold the Constitution and strike down “voter ID” laws with their discriminatory effects.

Here in Illinois, I was proud to vote with a bipartisan group of my colleagues to reject the politics of suspicion and division and instead move forward – toward greater access – with Automatic Voter Registration.

The governor’s veto of this legislation hits the pause button on progress.

We have all seen powerful images of young people protesting injustice and calling for change. They are the voices of historically underrepresented communities, and they tell the bitter truth that government does not always work for them and their families. They need the power of the vote, and our arcane registration system too often stands in their way. Democracy can’t wait.

“This Veterans Day, we salute the courageous men and women who have bravely served our country. Every day, people risk their lives to protect the freedoms that we as Americans hold dear. This holiday, let us make a concerted effort to applaud and thank our Illinois veterans, as well as, our veterans nationwide. Their service and sacrifice have sustained us as a strong and free democracy.”

“As of November 1, the last two remaining auto emissions testing facilities in Chicago will close. The closure of these facilities in Chicago creates added stress for residents by extending commutes to testing facilities outside of the city. In addition, residents facing financial hardship will be burdened by the mileage required to reach auto emissions facilities. Maintaining these facilities is beneficial for Chicago residents.”